Vallecas Stadium was surrounded by red and white flags, and the cheers of 36,000 fans shook the Madrid night sky.
A giant banner on the stands fluttered in the wind, with "Tonight we make history!" written in Spanish.
As soon as the opening whistle blew, Rayo Vallecano pounced on their prey like a pack of hungry wolves.
Paco's counter-attacking tactics were executed thoroughly and wildly.
Trejo commanded the midfield with composure, Álvaro García sprinted down the left wing, and Isi Palazón frequently cut in from the right.
Lu Chuan roamed the edge of the opponent's penalty area, his eyes sharply searching for every weakness.
In just fifteen minutes, Rayo Vallecano unleashed five shots.
Real Sociedad's defense was shaky, and goalkeeper Remiro was sweating profusely.
Ødegaard tried to control the tempo, but Comesaña's close marking caused the Norwegian talent to make frequent mistakes.
Fans in the south stand sang the team anthem, their cheers rising in waves.
In the nineteenth minute, the turning point finally arrived.
Ødegaard received the ball near the center circle; as he was about to turn, Comesaña made a precise tackle from behind.
The ball bounced forward, and Lu Chuan instantly sprang into action, his Big Heart skill keeping him extraordinarily calm at the critical moment.
Le Normand tracked back to position himself, trying to block Lu Chuan's path with his body.
Lu Chuan didn't choose to charge directly but cleverly cut to the left at the edge of the box. Le Normand's center of gravity immediately shifted, revealing a fatal gap.
Low shot with his left foot!
The ball rolled along the grass towards the far corner of the goal, and Remiro's diving save was too late.
The moment the net rippled, the entire stadium erupted in a thunderous roar.
"Goal! Lu Chuan! He saved Rayo Vallecano again!"
Lu Chuan sprinted towards the corner flag, took off his jersey, and held it high.
He roared to the sky, his chest heaving like waves. Teammates rushed from all directions, encircling him.
The fans in the stands went wild; some cried, some jumped, and some hugged strangers next to them.
Esther sat in the vip box, her eyes sparkling with tears of excitement.
The aggregate score became 2-1, Rayo Vallecano was leading!
For the next twenty minutes, the home team's morale was soaring.
Trejo's organization became more seasoned, and Álvaro García's breakthroughs were sharper.
Real Sociedad was completely pinned back in their half, forced to frantically defend.
Lu Chuan moved with ease in the attacking third, every touch drawing cheers from the stands. His vision was wide, his passes precise, and he had become the commander on the field.
In the thirty-fifth minute, he almost scored again.
Trejo's diagonal pass found Lu Chuan in the box, whose volley flew just wide of the post.
In the forty-second minute, it was another threatening shot from Lu Chuan. His long-range shot from outside the box was parried by Remiro, and Isi Palazón followed up with a rebound shot, but unfortunately, the angle was too central.
Vallecas Stadium became a sea of red and white, every attack tugging at the heartstrings of thousands of fans. The dawn of the final was so clear, within reach.
Ødegaard stood in the center circle, his face grim as he watched the wildly celebrating Rayo Vallecano players.
The Norwegian talent knew that Real Sociedad was standing on the edge of a cliff.
Before the second half began, Ødegaard walked to his teammates, patting each of their shoulders.
"Forget everything that happened in the first half."
"We are Real Sociedad, and we are not here to surrender."
The match restarted, and Ødegaard began to show his true strength.
He no longer rushed but patiently organized attacks.
A low pass tore through Rayo Vallecano's defense, and Oyarzabal almost scored. Immediately after, his individual breakthrough forced Savić into consecutive fouls, earning him a yellow card.
In the sixty-eighth minute, the scales of fate began to tip.
Ødegaard received a back pass from a teammate near the center circle and, facing Comesaña's press, deftly nudged the ball and turned.
The ball seemed to have a life of its own at his feet, sticking firmly.
After dribbling past two players, Ødegaard looked up to survey the field ahead.
He saw Oyarzabal's run, the tiny gaps in Rayo Vallecano's defensive line, and more importantly, the opportunity to change the course of the game.
Overhead long pass!
The ball arced perfectly through the night sky, landing precisely in Oyarzabal's running path.
Savić and Catena chased back simultaneously, but it was already too late.
Oyarzabal beat the offside trap and, facing the rushing Dimitrievski, easily chipped the ball into the net!
The net rippled again, but this time it plunged Vallecas Stadium into a deathly silence.
1-1, aggregate 2-2.
The away goals rule meant Real Sociedad had the advantage.
Rayo Vallecano had to score again, or their dream would be shattered.
The faces of the fans in the stands were pale, their earlier euphoria turning into desperate moans.
Esther gripped the railing of the vip box tightly, her knuckles white.
Lu Chuan stood in the center circle, his chest heaving rapidly. The Big Heart skill activated automatically at this moment, a powerful force surging from deep within him.
Anxiety dissipated, despair receded.
His vision became clearer than ever before, every blade of grass distinctly visible. His stamina felt miraculously replenished, and his legs were once again full of strength.
"Give me the ball!"
Lu Chuan began to constantly demand the ball from his teammates, trying to change the game with his individual ability.
He touched the ball more frequently, shot more decisively, and ran more actively.
In the seventy-fifth minute, his turn and shot inside the box were brilliantly saved by Remiro.
In the eighty-first minute, his header went over the crossbar.
In the eighty-sixth minute, his long-range shot from outside the box hit the post!
The ball bounced back into play, Álvaro García followed up with a rebound shot, but it was again blocked out for a corner by a defender.
"Not enough!" Lu Chuan roared in his heart; he could feel his stamina draining, but Real Sociedad's defense was like an impenetrable wall.
Three minutes of injury time.
Rayo Vallecano earned a corner kick, which might be their last hope.
Even goalkeeper Dimitrievski rushed into the opponent's penalty area, his tall figure particularly noticeable among the crowd.
Everyone understood that this was an all-or-nothing moment.
Trejo stood at the corner flag, taking a deep breath.
His gaze swept over the chaotic penalty area, searching for the best passing target. Lu Chuan constantly adjusted his position in the crowd, trying to find the most advantageous heading spot.
The whistle blew, and Trejo took the corner kick.
The ball slowly rose into the night sky, carrying the hopes and prayers of 36,000 fans.
The penalty area was a mess, red and white jerseys tangled together. Lu Chuan leaped with all his might, fiercely contesting for the ball in the air with an opposing defender.
Lu Chuan powerfully flicked his head, using the hardest part of his forehead, pouring all his strength into the ball.
The ball flew towards the goal with tremendous spin, Remiro was completely beaten.
The entire stadium held its breath.
"Thud!"
With a dull thud, the ball slammed heavily against the crossbar!
Vallecas Stadium erupted in a painful groan, as if the heart of the entire city had been torn apart. The ball bounced back into play and was cleared with a long kick by a Real Sociedad defender.
The referee looked at his watch, and the long whistle blew.
The match was over.
Lu Chuan fell to his knees, slamming his fists heavily on the grass. He looked up at the stars in the night sky, his eyes filled with tears of unwillingness.
Some teammates collapsed on the ground, others covered their faces with towels. A sad atmosphere permeated the entire stadium.
In the stands, countless fans were crying. They were just a crossbar away from making history, but fate was so cruel.
Esther's eyes were red in the vip box, watching Lu Chuan kneeling on the grass with a pained heart.
Just then, a figure walked towards Lu Chuan.
Real Sociedad captain Oyarzabal took off his gloves and extended his right hand to Lu Chuan.
"You are a worthy opponent."
His voice was sincere and gentle, without the arrogance of a victor.
"La Liga should have a place for you. I look forward to playing against you again in the top League."
Lu Chuan looked up, tear stains still on his cheeks. He looked at Oyarzabal's sincere eyes, slowly extended his hand, and firmly clasped it with his opponent's.
This handshake was both a sign of respect for an opponent and a farewell to a dream.
The Copa del Rey journey was over, but Lu Chuan's legendary story continued.